Ramazan Bazaars Show Smooth Sailing On First Day Of Fasts

Ramazan Bazaars Show Smooth Sailing On First Day Of Fasts

Ramazan Bazaars Show Smooth Sailing On First Day Of Fasts

LAHORE: On the first day of Ramazan, citizens purchased 45,000 10-kilogramme bags of flour for Rs 200 each and 40,950 one-kg bags of sugar for Rs 61 each from 20 ‘Sastay Ramazan bazaars’ established by the City District Government Lahore.

The market rate of sugar and flour is Rs 75-77 per kg and Rs 212 per 10-kg bag, respectively. The market rate of flour was Rs 255 before the start of Ramazan. Through a Rs 2 billion Ramazan subsidy announced in the provincial budget, the government has brought down the rate of flour to Rs 212 and Rs 425 of 10-kg and 20-kg bags, respectively, in the market on Thursday.

In the Wahdat Road Ramazan Bazaar, which comes under Tehsil Muncipal Administration (TMA) Samanabad administration, several citizens complained about the unavailability of gram flour at the subsidised rate of Rs 58 against a market rate of Rs 70. Some citizens also complained that only one kilogramme of sugar and one bag of flour was being provided to them despite having to wait in long queues. However, Daily Times found all 30 stalls in the bazaar arranged and cleaned and observed the establishment of a separate stall for first-aid medical treatment in case of any emergency, a waiting stall with adequate sitting space for senior citizens and special persons, and a stall for complaints and announcements. The rate lists and direction boards were also set up in the bazaar.

Environment District Officer Tariq Zaman, who has been made the in-charge of flour supply at Ramazan Bazaars, told Daily Times that on Thursday as many as 63,000 bags of flour were sent to all 20 Ramazan bazaars, of which 45,000 were sold and 18,000 returned. “We have abundant supply of flour for Ramazan with 90,000 bags quota per day and there will be no problems in the supply of flour to the masses,” Zaman said. Superintendent Mirza Asif, who is the report collector, said that 40,950 kg sugar was sold on the first day of Ramazan.

Gram flour remained short from Ramazan bazaars, with citizens complaining that the commodity was not even available in the open market after the government fixed its price at Rs 61 as opposed to the open market rate of Rs 65.

Basmati rice was sold for Rs 65 against a market rate of Rs 75 with a Rs 10 subsidy; gram for Rs 58 against a market price of Rs 65 with a Rs 7 subsidy; dal masoor for Rs 110 against Rs 125 with a Rs 15 subsidy; dal moong for Rs 98 against a market rate of Rs 120 with a Rs 22 subsidy. Cooking oil was sold for Rs 134 against Rs 138; Jam-e-shireen for Rs 110 against Rs 120; Nido was sold for Rs 430 against Rs 435; Lipton tea for Rs 490 against Rs 499 and red chili for Rs 50 against Rs 55.